SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

(In this portion, the origin of Ganga and the oceans has been explained by Vishwamitra to Rama. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

Sage Vishwamitra continues his narration: “Oh Ramadeva, you assumed the Vamana Avatar and demanded land from Emperor Bali. You lifted your left foot up to measure the land. As the nail of your left toe touched, the Brahmanda cracked and the water which was at the top portion seeped through that crack and washed your feet. That water came to be called as Ganga. Thus, Ganga originated from you during your incarnation as Vamana and later she was born as the daughter of Himavanta. Due to the divine strength of her penance, she was living in the heavens.

Sagara, the king of Ayodhya, had two wives. One was Keshini, who was the daughter of the King of Keshini. The other wife, Sumati, was the daughter of Arishtanemi and sister of Lord Garuda. He served a sage called Aurva atop the hill called Bhruguprasravana for one hundred years with a desire to have a male progeny. Impressed with his service, sage Aurva blessed Keshini with a son, who would be followed by generations, and Sumatidevi with sixty thousand children, who would not have any furtherance of dynasty, in accordance with their respective desires.

Keshinidevi delivered a highly knowledgeable and scholarly son named Asamanja. He pretended like a vandal with an intention of breeding hostility between his parents and other relatives. He used to kill all young children in the town by drowning them in Sarayu River and guffawing in the end as though he had done a grand job. His father tries all means to bring him on the right track. All his efforts proved futile. As soon as he begot another son called Amshuman, Sagara debarred Asamanja. Before leaving the town, Asmanja brought all the children whom he had drowned earlier back to life and sent them to their respective homes. All the people were flabbergasted to see this act of Asamanja and regretted and repented for mistaking him. Meanwhile, Sumatidevi gave birth to very strong sixty thousand children.

King Sagara performed Ashwamedha Yaga. Devendra came there in an abstract form and stole the sacrificial horse. As instructed by King Sagara, his sixty thousand children went in search of the lost horse. They searched for the horse in the entire earth. The horse was not found. On the contrary, oceans erupted from the places where they had dug up. Thus, the seas, which were narrow till then, became very large. That is why the sea is now considered a son of Sagara and the sea is named as Saagara.

Oh Lord Rama! Sons of Sagara reached the nether world, where they saw you sitting in the form of Kapila and pretending to be in deep penance. The sacrificial horse was by your side. Sons of Sagara mistook you to have stolen the horse and rushed towards you to kill you. Then, you opened your eyes and burnt all of them into ashes. There is no wonder that you burnt all those children with your eyes because you can destroy the universe with a mere wish.

As his sixty thousand children did not return for a long time, Sagara sent his other son Amshuman to search for the horse. He also saw the horse by your side as you were sitting in the same posture in the form of Kapila Maharishi. But, he chanted in praise of you. Impressed with his prayers, you asked him to take the horse. You also told him that his uncles had been burnt by you and that they would have salvation once their ashes became wet with Ganga waters. Amshuman brought back the horse and Sagara could complete the Ashwamedha Yaga.